It is quite hot. Prisoners struggle against inhumane conditions within the industrial complex that is warehousing people indefinitely from youth and meanwhile a blatantly racist street execution gets sanctioned by the judicial system for it’s supposed well-meaningness (for being aligned with the system) and sparks unrest in the streets . . .

In case you missed it,

Really crazy, disturbing video of Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) voluntarily undergoing the force-feeding which is the standard procedure applied by the u.s. to Guantanamo prisoners currently on hunger strike in the month of Ramadan. He has my respect for doing this.

TRIGGER WARNING:
bondage, torture, possible breach of consent, etc.

Meanwhile, “More than 30,000 California prisoners are on indefinite hunger strike. They are calling on the Governor and the CDCR to meet their 5 Core Demands. More Info” . . .

“DAY 70 Happy bEARTHday Assata! May this new rotation around the sun bring you freedom from governmental persecution. I pray you feel love so deep it shatters the shadows, solace in your sleep, laughter in your awakening. May the stars guide your wishing, and magic follow every footstep. Know that we are sending you love from the deepest chambers of our being and reflecting a light so clear, we pray even past oceans, it encompasses your very breath. Your love has given so much, I hope you can feel this humble offering. in gratitude, Alixa” [http://ariseforassataproject.tumblr.com/ “An image a day for 365 days in support of the liberation of Assata Shakur By Alixa Garcia “]

Like this:

Under the state of new york and similar states not terribly long ago, and in other parts of the world more recently, there are many examples for how political prisoners and prisoners of war gain freedom. It can be done.

Meanwhile, today in new york state, many of these avenues are closed or not working. As much as people are trying and possibly making strides toward bigger, stronger, tighter, more disciplined movements with broad and deep community involvement and support, capable of great deeds, time is ticking. Movement prisoners are getting older under harsh conditions and with horribly lacking healthcare and nutrition.

Most pps and pows in new york state prisons are facing special repression and discrimination for their political activity, views, and/or affiliations. Political discrimination and related vendettas may be keeping them locked up. However, there’s no way to tell, because the thing that is definitely keeping them locked up is also keeping many, many new york state prisoners locked up, regardless of politics.

NY State lets very few so-called “A1 violent felons” out . . . Ever. And they don’t let too many people out at all.

NY’s ruling elite have the conundrum of

1) needing to keep large sections of the population well below poverty levels so as to keep wages down and keep business profitable

2) needing to manage their “reserve army of labor” so that crime and revolt can’t hamper quality of life for the wealthy.

They do this through policing and mass imprisonment and part of their approach is keeping people locked up indefinitely at the expense of families, communities, and tax payers. (Recommended reading: Lockdown America by Christian Parenti)

The infuriating thing is that ny state just passed a law requiring the state parole board to use a risk-assessment procedure rather than using the “severity of the crime” as an excuse to keep people locked away forever, and they’re ignoring it. The parole board has elected to use the new procedure without allowing it to interfere with their old procedure or lack thereof. They have, in effect, arrogantly circumvented the law so as to keep a large group of people indefinitely under lock and key . . .

Excerpts from article . . .

“Effect of Risk Assessment Rule on Parole Decisions is Unclear”

April 30, 2012

ALBANY - A new law requiring the state parole board to consider inmates’ rehabilitation and use a “risk assessment” procedure to gauge whether parole-eligible inmates have reformed appears to be having little effect as release rates are largely unchanged and the board is routinely basing its denials on boilerplate statutory language emphasizing the offense, records suggest.

In October, the panel was legislatively required to “incorporate risk and needs principles to measure the rehabilitation of persons appearing before the board, the likelihood of success of such persons upon release.”

The board did so, but advocates say the new process appears to have no impact. . . .

In the meantime, advocates, and lawmakers who helped get the item into a budget bill, view the revision as a mandatory shift in focus, with the parole board directed to view eligible inmates in the light of who they have become rather than who they were when they committed their crime.

But the board sees it simply as an updated mechanism for viewing an inmate’s rehabilitation, one of the several statutory factors it already takes into consideration.

In an Oct. 5 memo to her colleagues explaining the new provision, parole board chair Andrea Evans directed the members to “ascertain what steps an inmate has taken toward their rehabilitation and the likelihood of their success once released to parole supervision.”

But Evans also advised the board that “the standard for assessing the appropriateness of release, as well as the statutory criteria…has not changed.”

But Philip Genty, a professor at Columbia Law School and director of its Prisoners and Families Clinic, is not sure there has been no change in the statutory standards, even though the section that lists the criteria is unaltered.

Genty noted that Executive Law §259-i(2)(a) says that release determinations must be in accordance with guidelines requiring written procedures focused on rehabilitation.

“In that sense, the criteria have changed, and parole seems to be out of compliance with the new requirements,” Genty said.

. . . . • The release rate for A-1 violent offenders appearing for the first time has decreased considerably since the new law took effect. So far this year, fewer than 4 percent have been granted parole. Last year, 10 percent were released, and 11 percent were granted parole in 2009 and 2010.

express your concern and outrage over the parole commissioner’s arrogant refusal to adhere to the guidelines/standard of the new parole law now in effect

demand that the parole commissioners stop refusing parole to those parole candidates who have long completed their court-set minimum sentences

ask why those serving 25-life for violent felonies are condemned to additional 35 or more years for their crimes. Ask what is the purpose of rehabilitation and good behavior if nobody can get out?

If you’re a new york state tax-payer, say so, and say that you don’t want your tax dollars going to keep people indefinitely in prison when the budget is so tight and money could be spent on other things.

Say that people need to be reunited with their families and communities.

ny state governor Cuomo

“You may also contact the Governor’s office by phone (518) 474-8390 or mail:”

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo Governor of New York State NYS State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224

Once you’ve sent your letter and/or made your call, repost or reblog.

Sylvia Rivera Law Project, one of the major players behind this victory

I should also mention that a tremendous reform of prison policy has been achieved at least on paper. . .

I truly hope that new york state, and other u.s. states and the federal system, will abide by these new guidelines rather than say, reverting to existing practices which have been horrific for trans and gender-non-conforming people in prisons. Of course, people are watching to see.

Oh and PS, down with prisons and long live every neighborhood, block, building, village, worksite, — long live every group of people capable of working collectively, defending themselves, taking care of each other, and holding each other accountable for each other’s actions and working to heal each other and themselves. I’m talking about the real ones, not the fakers. People working and living like neighbors is way better than police and prisons and way better at achieving peace. If you are out there, doing that, keep doing it because you are what I believe in.

Kersplebedeb
“ . . . Its also a pretty sprawling site, with pages on key political fronts ranging from Palestine to Transgender Liberation, from Iraq to political prisoners’ struggles in the United States . . . “

Moorbey'z Blog
“From a Nu-Afrikan perspective, RBG 4Lif.. Red For The Blood That We Have Shed In The Freedom Struggle Black Is For Our People & The Origin Of All Things In The Universe Green Is For Mother Afrika & The Rebirth Of Life And For Our Children”

Resistance Behind Bars
“The Struggles of Incarcerated Women” — blog related to the ground-breaking book by Victoria Law

Donate

Donate to the Warchest Program
from ABCF, “designed to send monthly checks to those Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War who have been receiving insufficient, little, or no financial support during their imprisonment. “

Individual PP Support

Cece McDonald
RELEASED FROM PRISON !!!! – 1/13/14- Woman imprisoned in a male prison for alleged self defense against a racist, transphobic, and sexist attack.

Herman Bell
Former Black Panther, NY-state political prisoner, community organizer

Jerry Resists
RELEASED FROM FEDERAL JAIL!!! 1/28/13 – Gerald “Jerry” Koch, a New York City anarchist and legal activist imprisoned in new york city for refusing to cooperate with a nefarious grand jury targeting anarchists.

News

Denver Anarchist Black Cross Blog
“The Denver Anarchist Black Cross exists to contribute to the defense of social movements, both internally and externally, working against oppression and for self determination.”

South Brooklyn ABCF
” We are the South Brooklyn chapter of the Anarchist Black Cross Federation. We stand in solidarity with political prisoners and prisoners of war worldwide.”

Publications

4strugglemag
“Views, Thoughts, and Analysis from the Hearts and Minds of North American Political Prisoners and Friends”

Resources

Aftershock
[book] Confronting Trauma in a Violent World: A Guide for Activists and Their Allies by pattrice jones * Lantern Books

Certain Days
Click above to order the 2014 Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar now!

Combat Liberalism
Despite my strong opposition to mao, maoism, and authoritarian communism, I have come to find this text very useful as a guide to combating bad tendencies in leftist organization, formal and informal. Find/replace the word “communist” with “anarchist.”

Support New York
“Support New York is a collective dedicated to healing the effects of sexual assault and abuse. Our aim is to meet the needs of the survivor, to hold accountable those who have perpetrated harm, and to maintain a larger dialogue within the community abo